Matt Roush's Top (And Much More) of 2011

Michelle Dockery and Serta Stevens 1. HOMELAND The most effective new series of year is Showtime's twisty nail-biter from the mental thriller, an psychologically intense cat-and-mouse game between two damaged souls: Damian Lewis as Nicholas Brody, a Marine Bang who have been switched by terrorists throughout eight years in Iraqi captivity, and Claire Danes as Barbara Mathison, the unstable CIA analyst who breaks all the rules to acquire under his skin - and often beneath the sheets. (Getting new meaning to undercover agent). The heavens are as electrifying since the storytelling in this particular taut tale of homeland insecurity, which features a marvelously restrained Mandy Patinkin as Carrie's melancholy mentor together with a revelatory Morena Baccarin as Brody's naturally conflicted wife. Homeland arises from the veteran producers of 24, who've lost no knack for sustained suspense, but during this more realistic framework are actually capable of concoct a thoughtful and gripping meditation round the human toll from fighting against terror. 2. DOWNTON ABBEY A whole delight. PBS' sprawling, Emmy-winning Masterpiece miniseries, with echoes of Jane Austen and Upstairs Downstairs within the wittily sudsy panache, is positioned around the grand but embattled British estate inside the years before WWI, with romantic and financial intrigues annoying the well-born and servant class alike. First among equals inside the brilliant ensemble: Maggie Cruz since the constantly indignant Countess Dowager, presented to hilariously withering pronouncements like, "No Englishman would imagine dying in someone else's house." The concept! Want more Matt Roush? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now! 3. BREAKING BAD Not missing a beat within the excruciatingly suspenseful fourth season, AMC's dark fable of violent corruption begins the desperate Wally White-colored (Bryan Cranston, deepening the darkness from the crazy anti-hero) in the icy kingpin Gus Kring (Giancarlo Esposito in the masterful performance of understated menace) inside an unpredictable season-extended fight of wills. Following a cunningly plotted and literally explosive season climax, Wally states "I won" to his morally compromised wife Skyler (Anna Gunn). Yes, he did, but at what cost? 4. COMMUNITY-versus-The Big BANG THEORY Airing opposite each other all climates and seasons on Thursdays were two fabulous extremes round the spectrum of comedy miracle. NBC's low-rated jewel, the epitome of cult comedy, the experimental and existential - and greatly entertaining - "fan favorite" Community defies genre categorization (a Glee holiday parody is yet another takeoff on Invasion in the Body Snatchers) while dealing with existence an ensemble of indelible misfits. And ruling the time-frame, The Big Bang Theory, CBS' stomach buster from the monster sitcom hit, has only intensified its nerdy genius since beefing within the roles in the ladies throughout these dysfunctional brainiacs' lives, with Mayim Bialik's dour Amy and Melissa Rauch's perky Bernadette keeping Kaley Cuoco's Cent from being the oddest girl out. 5. Wager On THRONES Cinemax effectively brings the epic fantasy to TV with dynamic impact in this particular adult, red-colored-colored-blooded and non-stop brutal saga according to George R.R. Martin's legendary page-turners. Harsh tidings befall good people (including Sean Bean's noble Ned Stark) in the medieval mash-from dynastic mayhem using the perfect volume of supernatural menace. 6. JUSTIFIED Inside the sensational second season of FX's tangy, twangy crime drama, the lethally charming U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) meets his match - in Emmy champion Margo Martindale's monstrously callous Kentucky mountain matriarch Magazines Bennett. Along with her deadly Apple Cake moonshine always at arm's achieve, she presides around the twisted multi-family feud for control of Harlan County. If possibly her bumbling offspring had inherited her steel. Justified goes lower while using kick of combined whiskey. 7. The Middle & MODERN FAMILY The have-not Hecks of Indiana as well as the well-off West Coast Pritchett/Dunphy clan have little to keep, except being uncommonly funny. ABC's underappreciated The Middle nails the raucous comic anxiety of overcome parents (the award-worthy Patricia Heaton and Neil Flynn) in addition to their underachieving square-peg kids: lazy Axl, Poor Sue and oddball Brick. If this involves cultural relevance, The Middle may be TV's most important current comedy. Meanwhile, the acclaimed Modern Family is constantly spearhead TV's comedy renaissance with sophisticated farce that anybody with relatives can interact with. 8. FRINGE Living round the side from the television schedule and ratings, Fox's sci-fi/fantasy mind-blower just grows within the mystical complexity. As Peter Bishop plays look-a-boo between warring galaxies, we're treated to cautionary Frankenstein parables in the perils of playing God. An even more than worthy successor for the X-Files. 9. The Truly Amazing WIFE Once Alicia (Emmy champion Julianna Margulies) recognized her bad side, in the tumultuous secret liaison along with her boss Will (Josh Charles), network TV's most compelling drama may also be its steamiest, cunningly mixing the non-public getting a significantly written legal procedural that's never under stimulating. 10. NEW GIRL Four's company, and great company only at that. In Fox's endearingly zany new comedy, a free of charge-spirited pixie (Zooey Deschanel in the career-identifying test in the how-much-is-too-cute threshold) moves in to a guy cave with three males, including Max Greenfield since the hilariously smarmy Schmidt. Their bro-code of conduct will not be the identical using this sweet, silly and desperate interloper inside their midst. She's a hoot, and so's the show. Beneath the heading of honorable mention, I'd have loved to include DirectTV/NBC's Friday Evening Lights and FX's Save Me available for final seasons, however i had been entertaining their finales within the same issue's "Cheers & Jeers" package, so recognition ended. Searching back, I am sorry I didn't find room for FX's small but mighty, and darkly funny, Louie. Under most enhanced, and enhancing constantly, Parks and Entertainment works Community (happening undeserved hiatus) as NBC's best comedy. Damages loved another taut, suspenseful season on DirecTV. What's TV's best American horror story? Much less overrated Foreign exchange monstrosity, but AMC's imperfect but perfectly harrowing The Walking Dead. And my finest surprise since fall, because the pilot didn't blow me away, might be the guilty pleasure of ABC's Revenge, especially since the evil Tyler switched as much as spread his malice inside the Hamptons. He makes Emily appear just like a novice. If this involves the year's finest disappointments, that list would include these American Horror Story (which, aside from the fabulous Jessica Lange, can be as inept and indulgent since it is sickeningly ugly), HBO's turgid Mildred Pierce miniseries, the woeful Oscar-evening hosting of James Franco and Hathaway As Catwoman, Starz' misguidedly Americanized Torchwood: Miracle Day, ABC's shoulda-been-more-fun Pan Am, AMC's shoulda-been-more-original Hell on Wheels, and ABC's shoulda-never-broadcast Charlie's Angels reboot. You'll find more (many fortunately forgotten), why put on unhealthy? Here's to have an better yet 2012 in TV. Happy year! Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!